American Counseling Association Code of Ethics

American Counseling Association Code of Ethics

Preamble

The American Counseling Association is an educational, scientific, andprofessional organization whose members work in a variety of settings andserve in multiple capacities. ACA members are dedicated to the enhancementof human development throughout the life span. Association membersrecognize diversity and embrace a cross- cultural approach in support of theworth, dignity, potential, and uniqueness of people within their social andcultural contexts.Professional values are an important way of living out an ethicalcommitment. Values inform principles. Inherently held values that guideour behaviors or exceed prescribed behaviors are deeply ingrained inthe counselor and developed out of personal dedication, rather than themandatory requirement of an external organization.

Section A: The Counseling Relationship

Counselors encourage client growth anddevelopment in ways that foster the interestand welfare of clients and promoteformation of healthy relationships.Counselors actively attempt to understandthe diverse cultural backgrounds of theclients they serve. Counselors also exploretheir own cultural identities and howthese affect their values and beliefs aboutthe counseling process.Counselors are encouraged to contributeto society by devoting a portion oftheir professional activity to services forwhich there is little or no financial return(pro bono publico).

Section B: Confidentiality, Privileged Communication, and Privacy

Counselors recognize that trust is a cornerstoneof the counseling relationship.Counselors aspire to earn the trust ofclients by creating an ongoing partnership,establishing and upholding appropriateboundaries, and maintaining confidentiality.Counselors communicatethe parameters of confidentiality in aculturally competent manner.

Section C: Professional Responsibility

Counselors aspire to open, honest,and accurate communication indealing with the public and otherprofessionals. They practice in a nondiscriminatorymanner within theboundaries of professional and personalcompetence and have a responsibilityto abide by the ACA Codeof Ethics. Counselors actively participatein local, state, and national associationsthat foster the developmentand improvement of counseling.Counselors advocate to promotechange at the individual, group, institutional,and societal levels that improvethe quality of life for individualsand groups and remove potentialbarriers to the provision or access ofappropriate services being offered.Counselors have a responsibility tothe public to engage in counselingpractices that are based on rigorousresearch methodologies. In addition,counselors engage in self-care activitiesto maintain and promote theiremotional, physical, mental, and spiritualwell-being to best meet their professionalresponsibilities.

Section D: Relationships With Other Professionals

Professional counselors recognizethat the quality of their interactionswith colleagues can influence thequality of services provided to clients.They work to become knowledgeableabout colleagues within and outsidethe field of counseling. Counselorsdevelop positive working relationshipsand systems of communicationwith colleagues to enhance servicesto clients.

Section E: Evaluation, Assessment, and Interpretation

Counselors use assessment instruments asone component of the counseling process, taking into account the client personal andcultural context. Counselors promote thewell-being of individual clients or groupsof clients by developing and using appropriateeducational, psychological,and career assessment instruments.

Section F: Supervision, Training, and Teaching

Counselors aspire to foster meaningfuland respectful professional relationshipsand to maintain appropriate boundarieswith supervisees and students. Counselorshave theoretical and pedagogicalfoundations for their work and aim tobe fair, accurate, and honest in theirassessments of counselors-in-training.

Section G: Research and Publication

Counselors who conduct researchare encouraged to contribute to theknowledge base of the profession andpromote a clearer understanding ofthe conditions that lead to a healthyand more just society. Counselorssupport efforts of researchers by participatingfully and willingly wheneverpossible. Counselors minimize biasand respect diversity in designing andimplementing research programs.

Section H: Resolving Ethical Issues

Counselors behave in a legal, ethical, andmoral manner in the conduct of theirprofessional work. They are aware thatclient protection and trust in the professiondepend on a high level of professionalconduct. They hold othercounselors to the same standards andare willing to take appropriate action toensure that these standards are upheld.Counselors strive to resolve ethicaldilemmas with direct and open communicationamong all parties involved andseek consultation with colleagues andsupervisors when necessary. Counselorsincorporate ethical practice into theirdaily professional work. They engage inongoing professional development regardingcurrent topics in ethical andlegal issues in counseling.

Source: American Counseling Association. (2005). ACA Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author.

American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct

Preamble

Psychologists are committed to increasing scientificand professional knowledge of behavior and people’s understandingof themselves and others and to the use of suchknowledge to improve the condition of individuals, organizations,and society. Psychologists respect and protect civiland human rights and the central importance of freedom ofinquiry and expression in research, teaching, and publication.They strive to help the public in developing informed judgmentsand choices concerning human behavior. In doing so,they perform many roles, such as researcher, educator, diagnostician,therapist, supervisor, consultant, administrator, socialinterventionist, and expert witness. This Ethics Code providesa common set of principles and standards upon whichpsychologists build their professional and scientific work.This Ethics Code is intended to provide specific standardsto cover most situations encountered by psychologists.It has as its goals the welfare and protection of the individualsand groups with whom psychologists work and the educationof members, students, and the public regarding ethical standardsof the discipline.The development of a dynamic set of ethical standardsfor psychologists’ work-related conduct requires a personalcommitment and lifelong effort to act ethically; to encourageethical behavior by students, supervisees, employees,and colleagues; and to consult with others concerning ethicalproblems.

General Principles

This section consists of General Principles. General Principles, as opposed to Ethical Standards, are aspirational in nature. Their intent is to guide and inspire psychologists toward the very highest ethical ideals of the profession. General Principles, in contrast to Ethical Standards, do not represent obligations and should not form the basis for imposing sanctions. Relying upon General Principles for either of these reasons distorts both their meaning and purpose.

Principle A: Beneficence and Nonmaleficence

Psychologists strive to benefit those with whom theywork and take care to do no harm. In their professional actions,psychologists seek to safeguard the welfare and rightsof those with whom they interact professionally and other affectedpersons, and the welfare of animal subjects of research.When conflicts occur among psychologists’ obligations orconcerns, they attempt to resolve these conflicts in a responsiblefashion that avoids or minimizes harm. Because psychologists’scientific and professional judgments and actions mayaffect the lives of others, they are alert to and guard against personal, financial, social, organizational, or political factorsthat might lead to misuse of their influence. Psychologistsstrive to be aware of the possible effect of their own physicaland mental health on their ability to help those with whomthey work.

Principle B: Fidelity and Responsibility

Psychologists establish relationships of trust withthose with whom they work. They are aware of their professionaland scientific responsibilities to society and to the specificcommunities in which they work. Psychologists upholdprofessional standards of conduct, clarify their professionalroles and obligations, accept appropriate responsibility fortheir behavior, and seek to manage conflicts of interest thatcould lead to exploitation or harm. Psychologists consultwith, refer to, or cooperate with other professionals and institutionsto the extent needed to serve the best interests ofthose with whom they work. They are concerned about theethical compliance of their colleagues’ scientific and professionalconduct. Psychologists strive to contribute a portionof their professional time for little or no compensation or personaladvantage.

Principle C: Integrity

Psychologists seek to promote accuracy, honesty, andtruthfulness in the science, teaching, and practice of psychology.In these activities psychologists do not steal, cheat, or engagein fraud, subterfuge, or intentional misrepresentation offact. Psychologists strive to keep their promises and to avoidunwise or unclear commitments. In situations in which deceptionmay be ethically justifiable to maximize benefits andminimize harm, psychologists have a serious obligation toconsider the need for, the possible consequences of, and theirresponsibility to correct any resulting mistrust or other harmfuleffects that arise from the use of such techniques.

Principle D: Justice

Psychologists recognize that fairness and justice entitleall persons to access to and benefit from the contributionsof psychology and to equal quality in the processes,procedures, and services being conducted by psychologists.Psychologists exercise reasonable judgment and take precautionsto ensure that their potential biases, the boundaries of their competence, and the limitations of their expertise donot lead to or condone unjust practices.

Principle E: Respect for People’s Rightsand Dignity

Psychologists respect the dignity and worth of all people,and the rights of individuals to privacy, confidentiality,and self-determination. Psychologists are aware that specialsafeguards may be necessary to protect the rights and welfareof persons or communities whose vulnerabilities impair autonomousdecision making. Psychologists are aware of andrespect cultural, individual, and role differences, includingthose based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity,culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability,language, and socioeconomic status, and consider these factorswhen working with members of such groups. Psychologiststry to eliminate the effect on their work of biases basedon those factors, and they do not knowingly participate in orcondone activities of others based upon such prejudices.

Ethical Standards

The following ethical standards are relevant to the professional activities of psychologists and are addressed in the APA Code of Ethics:

Resolving Ethical Issues

Competence

Human Relations

Privacy and Confidentiality

Advertising and Other Public Statements

Record Keeping and Fees

Education and Training

Research and Publication

Assessment

Therapy

Source: American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. Retrieved April 22, 2013, from

National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics

Preamble

The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human wellbeing and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty. A historic and defining feature of social work is the profession’s focus on individual wellbeing in a social context and the wellbeing of society. Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.Social workers promote social justice and social change with and on behalf of clients. “Clients” is used inclusively to refer to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Social workers are sensitive to cultural and ethnic diversity and strive to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice. These activities may be in the form of direct practice, community organizing, supervision, consultation administration, advocacy, social and political action, policy development and implementation, education, and research and evaluation. Social workers seek to enhance the capacity of people to address their own needs. Social workers also seek to promote the responsiveness of organizations, communities, and other social institutions to individuals’ needs and social problems. The mission of the social work profession is rooted in a set of core values. These core values, embraced by social workers throughout the profession’s history, are the foundation of social work’s unique purpose and perspective: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, competence. This constellation of core values reflects what is unique to the social work profession. Core values, and the principles that flow from them, must be balanced within the context and complexity of the human experience.

Ethical Principles

The following broad ethical principles are based on social work’s core values of service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. These principles set forth ideals to which all social workers should aspire.

Value: Service

Ethical Principle: Social workers’ primary goal is to help people in need and to address social problems.
Social workers elevate service to others above self-interest. Social workers draw on their knowledge, values, and skills to help people in need and to address social problems. Social workers are encouraged to volunteer some portion of their professional skills with no expectation of significant financial return (pro bono service).

Value: Social Justice

Ethical Principle: Social workers challenge social injustice.
Social workers pursue social change, particularly with and on behalf of vulnerable and oppressed individuals and groups of people. Social workers’ social change efforts are focused primarily on issues of poverty, unemployment, discrimination, and other forms of social injustice. These activities seek to promote sensitivity to and knowledge about oppression and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers strive to ensure access to needed information, services, and resources; equality of opportunity; and meaningful participation in decision making for all people.

Value: Dignity and Worth of the Person

Ethical Principle: Social workers respect the inherent dignity and worth of the person.
Social workers treat each person in a caring and respectful fashion, mindful of individual differences and cultural and ethnic diversity. Social workers promote clients’ socially responsible self-determination. Social workers seek to enhance clients’ capacity and opportunity to change and to address their own needs. Social workers are cognizant of their dual responsibility to clients and to the broader society. They seek to resolve conflicts between clients’ interests and the broader society’s interests in a socially responsible manner consistent with the values, ethical principles, and ethical standards of the profession.

Value: Importance of Human Relationships

Ethical Principle: Social workers recognize the central importance of human relationships.
Social workers understand that relationships between and among people are an important vehicle for change. Social workers engage people as partners in the helping process. Social workers seek to strengthen relationships among people in a purposeful effort to promote, restore, maintain, and enhance the wellbeing of individuals, families, social groups, organizations, and communities.

Value: Integrity

Ethical Principle: Social workers behave in a trustworthy manner.
Social workers are continually aware of the profession’s mission, values, ethical principles, and ethical standards and practice in a manner consistent with them. Social workers act honestly and responsibly and promote ethical practices on the part of the organizations with which they are affiliated.

Value: Competence

Ethical Principle: Social workers practice within their areas of competence and develop and enhance their professional expertise.
Social workers continually strive to increase their professional knowledge and skills and to apply them in practice. Social workers should aspire to contribute to the knowledge base of the profession.

Ethical Standards

The following ethical standards are relevant to the professional activities of all social workers. These standards concern (1) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to clients, (2) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to colleagues, (3) social workers’ ethical responsibilities in practice settings, (4) social workers’ ethical responsibilities as professionals, (5) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to the social work profession, and (6) social workers’ ethical responsibilities to the broader society.

Some of the standards that follow are enforceable guidelines for professional conduct, and some are aspirational. The extent to which each standard is enforceable is a matter of professional judgment to be exercised by those responsible for reviewing alleged violations of ethical standards.

Source: National Association of Social Workers. (2008). NASW Code of Ethics. Washington, DC: Author.